Opposition between Art and Reality in Shakespeares The...

Opposition between Art and Reality in The Tempest The Tempest is a self-reflexive play that explores the boundaries of art and reality. Shakespeares island is a realm controlled by the artist figure; where the fabulous, the ideal and the imaginative are presented as both illusory and palpable, and where the audience is held in an indeterminate state, a strange repose. The juxtaposition of the world of art with political and social realities explored by representative characters is the central contrast of the play, and is foregrounded by the use of non-verbal techniques. These techniques allow the audience to appreciate the art that facilitates the spectacle they watch, as well as understand that the ideal remains an†¦show more content†¦Additionally, Stephano, Trincullo and even Caliban have their own political plot - to murder Prospero. These subplots of usurpation are presented in a mimetic style and their sheer number has the effect of giving The Tempest its characteristic density and brevity. Brought about by Prosperos art, the storm is the first non-verbal technique to which the audience is exposed; giving us the opportunity to understand the way in which the characters of the play are archetypes who are representative of their society. The initial reactions of the characters when arriving on the island are important representations of the ideologies they have carried with them from their society. Ferdinand scarcely notices his surroundings, absorbed instead by the sight of Miranda. Antonio is morose and cynical, remarking that it is as if the island twere perfumed by a fen and has everything save means to live. The most interesting reaction is from Gonzalo, whose comic vision of an impractical but ideal commonwealth t excel the Golden Age is the first utopian dream in the play, with clear similarities to Thomas Mores utopia. His view of the island setting as idyllic and full of promise is given credibility by madrigals, short lyrics dealing with aspects of pastoral life, which present images of pastoral beauty. The most famous madrigal, Where the bee sucks, thereShow MoreRelated Essay on the Setting in Shakespeares The Tempest1072 Words   |  5 PagesImportance of Setting in The Tempest   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Shakespeare’s enchanted island in The Tempest is a restorative pastoral setting, a place where ‘no man was his own’ and a place that offers endless possibilities to the people that arrive on it’s shores. 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